Northwood University Announces Groundbreaking for Sloan Family Building for Aftermarket Studies
Northwood University President Keith Pretty, J.D. has extended to the community an open invitation to the ground-breaking ceremony for The Sloan Family Building for Aftermarket Studies. The groundbreaking ceremony for this 25,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art education center will take place at 11 a.m. on March 21, at the building site near the back parking lot behind the NADA Center. A reception and lunch will follow at 12 noon in the NADA Education Center. The Northwood University Michigan campus is located at 4000 Whiting Drive in Midland, MI.
Car Care Council Women’s Board Announces 2006 Scholarship Recipients
The Car Care Council Women’s Board has announced that Julia Johnson of San Francisco, CA, is the recipient of the 2006 Women’s Board $2,000 post-secondary scholarship. Johnson will be recognized during the Women’s Board reception on Tuesday, Oct. 31, at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas, NV.
GAAS Wrap-up & Photo Gallery
More than 400 aftermarket professionals gathered in Detroit last week for the 2006 Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium. The event, held May 17 & 18 at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn featured more than 31 speakers, moderators and panelists, who spoke on topics ranging from globalization and outsourcing to marketing and the view from Wall Street. Attendees also enjoyed networking events, including cocktail receptions at the Henry Ford Museum and the Automotive Hall of Fame.
AAIA Elects New Officers and Board of Directors; Dick Morgan Elected Chairman
The Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) elected new officers and board of directors at its Spring Volunteer Leadership Days held in Hollywood, FL, on May 6. “The backbone of AAIA and the lifeblood of its governance are its volunteer leaders,” said Kathleen Schmatz, AAIA president and CEO. “The outstanding individuals who serve on the AAIA board of directors are among the very best visionaries and thought leaders in the aftermarket industry.”
GPI Gives $2 Million Gift to Northwood’s Aftermarket Building Project and Program
Northwood President Dr. David Fry announced late last week that General Parts Inc. (GPI) presented the university with a $2 million dollar gift toward the university’s planned 25,000-square-foot automotive aftermarket facility on its Midland, MI, campus. The gift was announced on behalf of the company by O. Temple Sloan III, president of GPI on Monday, February 20, during a gathering of 1,100 of their suppliers, associates and the extended Sloan family in Raleigh, NC. The building will be named The Sloan Family Building for Aftermarket Studies.
R. L. Polk & Co.’s Ask the Industry: Are We Doing Enough to Attract the Next Generation?
For this edition of Ask the Industry, we asked executives representing a number of market segments including manufacturing, service and training: Are we doing enough to attract bright young professionals to this industry? If not, what more needs to be done? And, what are the dealerships doing that we can’t or haven’t?
Northwood Honors Seven Aftermarket Professionals with Automotive Aftermarket Education Awards
Northwood University honored seven automotive aftermarket leaders with its annual Automotive Aftermarket Education Award this past Tuesday in Bally’s Hotel & Resort in Las Vegas. The awards were presented during a breakfast at the annual Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo Show (AAPEX).
Record Numbers Attend AAIA Leadership Days; Board Officers Announced
The Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) reported this week that a record number of people — 380 to be specific — converged upon Huntington Beach, Calif., last week to attend AAIA’s Spring Leadership Days. Volunteer board and committee members, VIP guests and professional staff participated in 28 group meetings and eight social events during the three-day program.
R. L. Polk & Co. Introduces Aftermarket Inventory Efficiency Award
R. L. Polk & Co. has introduced a new award that recognizes and rewards outstanding aftermarket companies for process improvements relative to inventory efficiency. The Polk Aftermarket Inventory Efficiency Award will be presented at the 2005 Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) being held May 11-12 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago.
Second Day of Presentations at 2004 GAAS Predict Strong Growth
The second and final day of the 2004 Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) ended on a strong note with some impressive new numbers and predictions for the future success of the industry. For the first time in many years, financial analysts are beginning to sit up and take notice of the aftermarket.